"Is your proposal finally ready, Tanya?"
"It is, Empress."
Tanya bowed before Empress Mileena's throne. A few months had passed since the throne had been reclaimed by Shao Kahn's 'daughter', and in that time, Mileena had managed to secure the 'loyalty' of the Black Dragon, Ermac and even (allegedly) Shang Tsung.
Tanya had been at the empress' side the entire time, guiding her rule through her own experiences in politics - particularly from her time governing Edenia on Onaga's behalf during his second reign of Outworld. That was why Mileena had become so eager to listen when Tanya mentioned a proposal she had been working on. Today was the day she would finally make that proposal. Tanya stood and began her pitch.
"Your throne is one at constant risk from usurpers and enemies of the state. It has passed between so many hands in recent years that the entire realm's stability is in question. As is its protection. Raiden had his champions defending Earthrealm, Shinnok the Brotherhood, Orderrealm the Seidan Guard, and Kitana has spent the last year building up Edenia's protective forces in the absence of her friend.
"It is a force like that which Outworld now needs. We have an army, yes, but a smaller force that can both defend and strike out at oncoming threats before they even enter our borders is an altogether different concept. That is why I propose a new organisation: the Umgadi. It is a relatively small force, more easily managed and less easily noticed when operating on foreign soil. Each member is to be hand-picked by either myself or Your Majesty to craft a reliable, disciplined group, dutifully obedient to your commands."
Mileena nodded during Tanya's brief pause to prepare further elaboration. "I like what I'm hearing, Tanya," she cooed, unable to fully keep her growing lust for her lover in check. She loved it when Tanya talked business like this, especially when said business was to Mileena's personal benefit. Shang Tsung, frustratingly, seemed to pick up on this subtle inflection and chuckled to himself from her side.
"We will seek out the best female fighters in Outworld, hosting tournaments in the capital for the best of the best to come and test their might."
"Female fighters?" Mileena observed.
Tanya nodded. "Given our combined experience, I trust women far more than I do men."
Mileena struggled to disagree. One person present, however, did.
"Blatant misandry aside," Shang Tsung chastised calmly as he stepped out before the empress, "I do enjoy a good tournament."
"You won't be conducting-"
Shang Tsung held up a hand to silence Tanya who, much to Mileena's surprise, acquiesced. "Our defeat at Liu Kang's hand is no stain on my record of organising eleven tournaments for… the previous administration. And more than one for my own personal amusement. I've an eye for talent as well, as my past recruitments of Goro, Syzoth, Erron Black, Kano and the like can attest."
"You want me to trust you with the specifics?" Mileena queried with a raised brow.
"Trust? Heavens, no. I thought I had taught you better. No, I expect you to select the one most qualified for the job and assign one you do trust to keep him (me) in check. That is what you had in mind, of course."
Mileena took a moment to choose her words carefully, lest she give Tanya the impression that she somehow trusted the infamously duplicitous sorcerer more than her lover. The fact of the matter was, he was correct on all points.
She nodded and the sorcerer grinned. "Then, if I may, Empress, there are a certain two individuals I could put forward for your new guardian force."
"Speak freely, Shang Tsung," Mileena said with about as much affection for her creator as he could expect. "You always do."
He nodded, his grin receded only enough to not appear mocking. "The first I recommend is another of my creations. A younger sibling, of sorts, to you. Their name is Khameleon."
"'Their'?" Tanya observed. "Not 'her'?"
"That is the fascinating thing about this individual; Khameleon is what one might describe as... fluid in their gender. It shifts and flows like water. At times, they more resemble Syzoth. At others, the empress. An artificial Saurian with the powers of several races, with an inclination towards being female. They are currently being trained to control this shifting, but they remain female enough of the time to qualify for the Umgadi, I believe."
"And with these races used in… their composition," Mileena questioned, "have they the saurian invisibility?"
"Of course, Empress. I do not simply create life; I prefect it. I am sure Lady Tanya appreciates your veery skilled… well, I'll not be crass." The implications alone cast an imrpessively deep crimson across Tanya's dark cheeks. For perhaps the first time Mileena could recall, her lover seemed genuinely speechless as the audacity before them.
"If they can provide for me the service Reptile has for you," Mileena responded, "I will take them. See to it they are proficient in kombat by the time you bring them to me."
"I am also, you recall, quite the proficient fighter in my own right. Nine-time Mortal Kombat Champion, slayer of Liu Kang, survivor of Armageddon. You can trust in my ability to raise a warrior."
"I believe you told me not to trust you," Mileena said with a sly grin.
Shang Tsung's matched hers as he turned to face her after his audience-seeking monologue. "My observant empress is no longer so easily to deceive, I see. Rest assured, Khameleon will be a true jewel in your crown by the time I am done with them."
"Good. And your second recommendation?"
"Let me ask, are you familiar at all with the town of Sun Do?"
Sun Do was once a name associated with death, tragedy, and curses. The once small fishing village had been one of many chosen by Shang Tsung's minions to harvest for the undefeatable army. The citizens had been forced to compete in a tournament orchestrated by the sorcerer, with the promise of freedom the carrot and stick used to bait out the best fighters among them and cull the weak to find those most valuable to fuel his and Quan Chi's undead army.
The victor had been a young woman named Li Mei, and her victory had sealed her fate as an enslaved puppet of this lethal alliance. Or, that was how it had seemed.
Master Bo' Rai Cho had infiltrated the palace by himself while separated from the rest of Raiden's group, and managed to intervene before this talented warrior's soul could be utilised for evil. Retreating to the nearby home of a farming family he knew, he carried Li Mei to safety and hid her away to recover from her soul being half-ripped from her body.
By the time she had done so, the palace where her people had been humiliated and destroyed had been reduced to rubble, her tormentors had been obliterated, and a new threat was making life hell for the people of Outworld.
Li Mei had joined Master Bo' Rai Cho as the latest in a long line of apprentices he had taught, taking to his Mi Zong style with such speed that even the centuries-old master of martial arts had found himself genuinely impressed by her talent.
Together, the two had fought against Onaga's armies, assisting Shujinko in his plan to amass a force to take down the Dragon King, and then joined her master in Edenia for the battle for the pyramid. Once the realms were finally safe for a while, Li Mei had returned home. With naught but a memorial to her murdered people set up in their honour, Li Mei began the arduous task of rebuilding Sun Do.
With help from Master Bo' Rai Cho, many of the neighbouring villages had offered aid in rebuilding the now-abandoned village. He even managed to track down several relatives of the murdered villagers, and survivors from other villages that had suffered much the same fate, and convinced them to move to the rebuilt village to help repopulate. In time, Sun Do began to thrive, beyond even what the original had ever achieved. It became something of a symbol for the resilience of the people of Outworld and attracted many to the new home of the two war heroes that had fought back the Dragon King's armies and helped avert Armageddon.
By now, the village was more a town, bordering on a city. Its size had practically tripled over the original, consolidating many of the former small, oppressed villages into one united community. Warriors of all kinds - soldiers, mercenaries, competitors and hobbyists - found themselves drawn to Sun Do, all signing up at the legendary master's dojo, which had been forced to relocate twice already to accommodate a larger building for the ever-growing list of students.
Li Mei felt more than a little lonely now, her master having relocated to over a mile away from the centre of town where her home and the mayor's office were. She, incidentally, was the mayor, having been selected for the role by just about everyone who had arrived in the early days. She had proven her ability to fight, and to lead. She was Sun Do's guardian, now supported by many talent fighters as she warded off bandits and monsters, demons and invaders, to protect her people.
But her loneliness was assuaged when her master came to visit one evening. As they spoke, he seemed to enjoy her every use of the word 'Master' in reference to him. At first, she simply chalked this up to him having missed her as much as she had him, but she began to grow suspicious as the night drew on.
Not only did he drink less than usual, but rather than gleefully down each jug of his favourite wine (always kept in stock for when he had the time to visit), he would instead say just enough to keep the conversation going, encouraging her to provide a lengthy retort, covering his muttering under his breath before he would take a drink.
Eventually, Li Mei felt compelled to test her hypothesis. Had she a beverage her master disliked on-hand, she'd have tricked him into drinking some, but her own tastes had shifted somewhat to align with his since they had first begun travelling together. Poison was a no-go, just in case she was merely paranoid. Thus, her third option was the one she went with.
She offered him a pitcher of lotus juice. The liquid was non-alcoholic, and it was one Li Mei's late grandfather had always enjoyed a round of. It was her drink of choice to calm down the atmosphere when her master was getting too deep in the drink for her liking. It hadn't taken him long to appreciate and accept her desire to keep him from overindulging, especially during wartime. So, when she offered him a drink and he said nothing to suggest he felt she was making her usual switch much earlier than usual, she began putting one of her more recent skills to use.
During the lead-up to the battle in Edenia, Li Mei had been given a chance to meet Bo' Rai Cho's Earthrealm allies, gathered by the actor Johnny Cage. Their leader had given her a few examples of his abilities as an actor when she had eagerly enquired after each hero's abilities and experiences. He had even given her a few simple lessons in the art, providing some valuable tips on how to better 'sell' her act, which had rather come in handy since as she negotiated through and defused troublesome situations in her new office.
And so, she put on the face of a daughter that had dearly missed her father while he had been away. Her familial dynamic with her master was hardly obscure knowledge, meaning this impersonator was most likely aware of it. So, when she jabbed a fork into her thigh under the table to encourage a wetness in her eyes, and asked the man for a hug, he of course agreed.
The two stood, he quicker than she, and he approached her with arms wide open. He really did have her master's mannerism down to almost the smallest detail. But she had little doubt that he, even under the influence of enough alcohol to replace every drop of blood in her body, would have reacted faster when her foot came up sharply between his legs.
As his head lowered with his arching spine, she landed a perfectly-aimed punch to his jaw, spinning him around. Then, with both hands just about connecting around his waist, she lifted him off his feet with all the strength she could muster. But, between his surprisingly much lower weight than the real man, and her fingers unable to maintain a firm grasp around his waist, he slipped out of her hold and, instead of slamming head-first into the wooden floor, flew across the room and landed in a heap by the window.
She drew her Kunlun Dao from the mantlepiece and took her stance, feet flat on the floor and her body tensed up, ready to strike the second the sorcerer began his retaliation. But the retaliation never came. Instead, Shang Tsung shifted back into his true form, pushed himself into a sitting position against the wall beneath the window, and met her burning gaze with… He almost seemed impressed.
"Very good," he said, seemingly confirming what should have been an obviously-incorrect conclusion. He flexed his jaw and messaged his groin before rising to his feet and making no move to fight back, even as Li Mei took a step closer with the tip of her blade pointed directly at his throat. "You have improved since the tournament."
"Fuck you," she spat.
"Ah. It was Johnny Cage who taught you those acting skills then. I'll know never to underestimate him again."
"What do you want, sorcerer?" Few in all the realms could make that word sound like a venomous insult as Li Mei could.
"Oh, that's really quite simple: the empress requests your presence in the capital."
"The empress," she repeated flatly.
"The empress," he confirmed.
"Mileena wants to see me?"
"She does."
"Why?"
"Because the royal consort is putting together a group of warrior women to defend the throne and deal with Outworld's enemies. And you have been chosen to be a part of it."
"Why-"
"Why would a war hero with proven leadership qualities, who fought for the people of her realm, be chosen to join a group of women dedicated to protecting the realm, you ask?" As condescending as his delivery was, his point was well and truly made.
"Is this a request? Or an imperial command?"
"A request, of course. Conscription would not do for a group with such access to the empress. You may stay and govern this city of yours if you'd prefer. Or, you can came to the capital, meet with the empress and serve the throne. You already fought for her once before, I understand."
His eyes fell on her weapon, still gripped tightly in her hand. Her Kunlun Dao had actually been gifted to Li Mei by Mileena whilst the latter was posing as Kitana to manipulate Li Mei and her master during the Onaga conflict. While it continued to shame her to recall the blade's origin, she also found pride in this implement she had used to cut down so many of her realm's enemies in the pursuit of peace and freedom for Outworld. She kept it drawn on the sorcerer.
"Why did she send you? Why not Tanya or Ermac or… anyone I might potentially trust?"
"She sent me because recruiting you was my idea."
"You suggested me for the position? You?"
"Yes, me."
"After everything you and your partner-"
"Please." Shang Tsung held up a hand. "'Partner' is far too strong a term for that buffoon. Call him as he was: a tool. In fact, the word 'tool' has a rather lovely derogatory meaning in Earthrealm's United States. You can convey much with that single word." Evidently, Shang Tsung loved to hear himself speak now, just as much as he had back then. And oddly, Li Mei found herself reluctant to interrupt him. But now that he was finished, she could continue her response.
"After everything you and your 'tool' did to the people of Sun Do: enslaving us, putting us to work on constructing your palace, executing the sick and elderly, giving us false hope that we could fight for our freedom, and then trying to turn us into your mindless undead army... After you butchered my grandfather and left my mind vulnerable to the Dragon King's corrupting influence, why in the Elder Gods' names would you suggest me for this position?"
"You think me mad. After all I did that made you despise me, I would hope that you would at least have ascertained my intellect. Allow me to elucidate then. First, you won our little tournament. Regardless of the outcome, you proved yourself the greatest kombatant in your village. I hold a certain… soft spot for fellow tournament champions.
"But that is not the end of it, of course," he added in response to her incredulous glare. "That may not sound like all that grand an accomplishment, but that is merely the genesis of your journey. You survived that whole affair and joined Bo' Rai Cho, the real greatest threat to Shao Kahn's rule since the beginning. You trained under him and helped to defend the people of Outworld during Onaga's reign.
"You then joined Johnny Cage's alliance in Edenia and fought to protect the realms, be it from conquest or annihilation. You then rebuilt Sun Do and became a peacekeeper for your fledgling village, which is now on the verge of becoming a thriving metropolis. You have achieved much in your relatively short life, Li Mei. You have shown your skill, your determination and your desire to protect the people of Outworld."
"Shouldn't that make me the perfect enemy of the empress then?"
"Perhaps. Or, it may make you the ideal guardian for her. Mileena is still young in her rule. Her approach to rule, while influenced by her many masters, is not yet set in stone. You may be able to guide her, as Tanya and Ermac do. After all you have suffered under tyrants such as I, you now hold the key to changing Outworld forever in your very hands. You need only grasp it with all your might."
"You're trying to manipulate me into protecting her."
"In a manner that will preserve the peace you desire, yes. The empress has many enemies, either seeking the throne for themselves or to depose what they deem an unfit ruler. But whatever their motives, their inevitable conflict will shatter the peace that has so recently been achieved in this war-torn realm. This is the first true peace you have known in your entire lifetime, I would wager. And that is why you will fight tooth and nail to protect it… even if it is in Mileena's name."
"You're awfully candid for one trying to manipulate me."
He grinned. "Lies are a powerful tool; but not as powerful as the truth."
In that moment, Li Mei understood that she had lost before he had even set foot inside her home. His every point was calculated and accurate. Staying here and leading her hometown was what she wanted, yes, but with a rule as unstable as Mileena's - an empress heavily disliked by the people around Li Mei and no doubt all across the realm - Li Mei could do far more by heading to the capital and joining the empress' band of warrior women, earning her trust, and offering advice to mould her into one who would work to improve the lives of the citizens of Sun Do.
"I can offer you time to decide, of course, but not very much. I am expected back in the capital within the week."
"I'll… have your answer by morning."
"Excellent. As much as I enjoyed your hospitality tonight, I do have other things to do."
"Not in Sun Do, you don't."
"Oh? Would you rather I stay here until you've made your decision? Do you really expect me to wait around until morning while you make your decision?"
Li Mei sighed. He was trying to make her to decide on the spot. He'd laid out all the benefits of her accepting his offer, and then rushed her to make a decision before she had time to consider the drawbacks. If she didn't make her decision now, there was no telling what he might to do the people of the new Sun Do, considering what he did to the old one.
Once again, Shang Tsung had left her without choice.
"I thank you for accepting our offer, Li Mei," the empress claimed with what sounded like sincerity. Li Mei had little experience with Mileena, having only been spoken to and commanded by her while she was posing as Kitana, and then exchanging a handful of blows in Edenia before being separated by other fights crashing into theirs. And yet, Mileena seemed… genuine in her words as she said, "I trust we can put our past conflicts behind us as we strive to create a bright future for Outworld."
And so, Li Mei now stood alongside her new 'sisters', hands behind their backs and chins raised, clad in their yellow and black uniforms derived from Tanya's own preferred colour scheme. The small band hailed from a range of regions of Outworld, and of different races, including a tarkatan, a descendant of the long-dead Cryomancer race, a woman with patchy skin that looked somewhat uncanny, a woman with white hair and a layer of white makeup covering every inch of her exposed skin, and even immigrants from Edenia and Vaeternus. She had even overheard discussion between Ermac and Mileena of another candidate named Skarlet that could not be found, leaving Li Mei to wonder just how large this group was intended to become.
Their Matron Superior stood at their head, eyeing each of them up for even the slightest twitch of disobedience as they stood still as statues. And behind Tanya sat the empress they were all oath-bound to the service of. From Li Mei's observations among her fellows, she noted what seemed to be a genuine belief in Mileena as the future of Outworld.
But Li Mei was not so gullible. Not anymore. Not since she was deceived, tormented and almost destroyed by the Deadly Alliance. Or used to keep Outworld susceptible to Onaga's rule by the woman who now sat upon the throne. No matter how many times Mileena grasped at good press by asserting her involvement with Onaga's second reign as merely a bid to keep the Dragon King's wrath at bay until she could usurp him, Li Mei simply did not believe it.
The warrior had accepted Mileena's offer, yes, but only so that she could keep a close eye on the new empress and her deceitful consort. And the sorcerer that excreted duplicity from his every pore as he whispered into his creation's ear. She would protect her realm from both outside threats and those with insidious designs for the future of Mileena's reign. She would play her role as one of the first Umgadi and follow Mileena's commands as she once had, only now with full knowledge of who exactly she was dealing with.
Li Mei would never be manipulated again…
2024's not been a great year for MK, so here's something to close the year out. I really enjoy taking things from newer timelines and reimagining how they could fit into prior ones. I've also included some unnamed cameos in this one and I hope someone notices.